


The Daltons - The meeting

by Niky_94



Category: The Daltons - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 01:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8424670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niky_94/pseuds/Niky_94





	

“Another bad grade!” Miss Betty said, shaking her head. “This is not good, Niky...”  
The girl rose her shoulders “I can't help it, Miss... I don't get along with Chemistry”  
Miss Betty shook her head again “Seems you don't get along with Math and Physics either...”  
Niky crossed her arms, sulkily “It's not my fault, they... don't like me, for some reason...”  
The teacher collected her papers and tapped them on the desk. “Anyway, I need to ask your mother for a meeting, to discuss about your situation...”  
The girl took a step back, horrified. “A-a meeting? W-with my m-mother?” she bubbled, paling. “But... can't you talk to one of my brothers? To Averell, perhaps?” she suggested, hopeful.  
But Miss Betty shook her head again. “I know your brothers are in charge of you, but I believe your mother should be informed of your grades. I wrote her a letter, the mail-man will leave at dawn.”  
“O-ok, Miss Betty...” Niky whispered, resigned, and exited the room. She knew she was in trouble, and thought taking a walk in the prison yard would have helped her to calm down. “I'm doomed!” she thought “The mail-man will leave tomorrow morning, and bring Miss Betty's letter to Ma'... And there'll come trouble!” She suddenly stopped, in the middle of the yard “Wait a minute... Tomorrow morning! That's it! All I have to do is steal the letter before the mail-man leaves, and I'll be safe!”

 

That night, she broke into the hide in which they kept all the letters and the mail, and after a while, she found a white envelope.  
“Here it is!” she whispered, rising it high in victory “I'm safe!”  
She bended it, hid it in her pocket and quickly returned to her cell, paying attention not to be seen.

 

As soon as she entered the cell, Niky found Joe standing in front of her, with his arms crossed.  
“Where have you been?” he harangued her.  
“To the toilet” she simply answered, and climbed on her cot.  
“You know you're not supposed to go out alone when it's dark.” he scolded her “We're in a penitentiary, don't forget it!”  
“Come on, Joe, I need my privacy!” she bursted out, crossing her arms, offended.  
“She's right, Joe,” Averell middled “a girl needs her private moments, to put on her make up, comb her hair, write her secret diary...”  
“Secret diary?” Joe asked, looking at his sister, narrowing his eyes suspiciously “What secret diary?”  
Niky grumbled “You know, Averell, the point of keeping a secret diary is... that is should be a secret!”  
“You mean girls write all their secrets in diaries?” Joe asked, in disbelief.  
“Well, that's a way to put it,” she explained “but I write only the kind of things that would not shock two snoopy brothers too much...” she added, shooting a killer look to Jack and William.  
They paled.  
“You... knew it?” William asked, in a small voice.  
“Sure I did” she answered calmly.  
“And... You're not mad?” Jack asked, carefully.  
“Uh, no” Niky said. “Well, I was, at first, but then I found the way to take my advantages...”  
The twins looked at each other, confused.  
“What do you -” Then, his expression brightened up “When you wrote you wished to have new pencils for your birthday... Or the time you wrote you were depressed and that the only thing that could cheer you up was chocolate ice-cream... You made all that up, didn't you?”  
“I did” she solemnly confirmed “And I gotcha!”  
Jack and William stared at her, her mouths open.  
“You little swindler...” Jack said, indignant.  
“Duping your big brothers like that...” William added, staring surly at her.  
She shrugged “That'll teach ya to snoop in you little sister's privacy...”  
Joe sniggered “She got you, this time”  
The twins sat in their cots, muttering. It was usually them blaming Niky, and the fact their little sister had tricked them was hard to accept.  
“Oh, come on, guys,” she said, with a smug smile “where's your sense of humour?”  
“Get down, and I'll show you how fun we can be...” Jack threatened.  
The girl shook her head “In your dreams!” she declared “Why do you think I pick the upper cot? I'll give you a hint, it was not the view.”  
William shook his head “She got us, there' nothing to do with it” he admitted, resigned.  
Joe, that had been looking at the scene still standing near the door, shrugged. “Good. If you're done, we might take some rest.”  
Niky, Joe, Jack and William laid down in their cots, and Averell blew out the candle beside the doorway. When he tried to get back to his bed, in the dark, he stepped in Joe' shoe that was laying on the floor, and ended up laying on the ground.  
“On no, not again!” Joe muttered “Someone help the imbecile up...”  
Niky jumped down from the cot and helped his brother up. “Are you all right?” she asked softly, leading him to his bed.  
“Yeah, don't worry” he answered, and slipped under the covers.  
The girl gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose. “Good night, big brother...” she whispered. She was about to get back to her bed, when she gave Joe a kiss too. Then, she carefully moved some steps to Jack and William's cots.  
Uh, weirs, she thought, observing them in the pale moonlight, They seem to be already asleep...  
She was about to give William a goodnight kiss, when he suddenly jumped her and took her in his arms.  
“What the - ?!” the girl exclaimed, taken by surprise, and tried to get free.  
Jack jumped down from his cot, and, since his twin was holding their sister still, started to tickle her. “Now it's your turn to show us your sense of humour, kid!” he chuckled.  
The girl tried to get free, bended over with laughter “No, please! Tickling's not fair!”  
The two men bursted out laughing and let her go.  
Jack sat on the cot, leaving some room between him and William where Niky sat, once she managed to stop panting.  
“You two really are poor losers, aren't you?” she muttered, crossing her arms.  
“Yeah” Jack agreed.  
“Absolutely” William added.  
The three of them laughed, and they hugged each other. Niky kissed them goodnight, them quickly climbed back on her cot.  
A little later, the cell was all quiet, and the five of them were sleeping tight.

 

The next morning, Niky watched the mail-man leaving with a grin on her face. She snickered, as she patted her pants' pocket, in which she was still keeping the letter for her mother.  
“Problem solved” she told herself, satisfied. She was about to reach the mess, when she froze. A terrible thought had just crossed her mind: If Ma' won't receive the letter, she won't show up for her meeting with Miss Betty, and then Miss Betty may decide to send her a telegram... What will I do then?”  
She thought about it for a moment, then she clinched her fists. “Very well, if Miss Betty really wants to meet Ma' Dalton, I'll give her Ma' Dalton!”  
Being careful not to be spotted, she sneaked into the laundrette and stole a long, green dress, a white apron and a bonnet. She changed her clothes, combed her hair in a chignon and covered it in talcum powder to turn it white. As a finishing touch, she tied the bonnet under her chin. She shot a look at her reflection in the mirror.  
“Oh, dear...” she whispered “I really look like Ma'...”  
She was her mother's own image. Except for her chin. Her mother's chin was squared, like Niky's brothers' were, while the girl had more delicate features. She decided to cover her face with a scarf, pretending to have a sore throat, and she prepared herself to meet Miss Betty.  
Here I am, she said to herself, once she had gotten in front of Miss Betty's door “It's show time!”

 

Joe, Jack, William and Averell were in their cell. Jack and William were laying on their cots, reading the newspaper. Averell was painting in a corner of the room and Joe was walking in circles, trying to figure out a plan to escape.  
Averell looked out from the window, searching for something to paint, and his eyes went wide with surprise.  
“Mommy!” he exclaimed, happy.  
“What? Ma's here?” Joe asked, climbing on a stool and looked out the window.  
“Impossible” Jack said, putting the newspaper down.  
“She d have told us...” William added, getting closer.  
“No, it's Ma, come and see!” Joe exclaimed, pointing at the yard. His brothers approached, and looked out too.  
“It's really her...” Jack said, scratching his head “What is Ma doing in front of Miss Betty apartment door?”  
“Something's fishy...” William buttered.  
“Maybe she has a plan to help us escape!” Joe suggested, hopefully.  
“What are we waiting for? Let's go and say hi!” Averell exclaimed, jigging about, impatient.  
At that very moment, the door opened. Pit and Emmett had come to pick them up and bring them to the yard.  
“Come on, Daltons, time for a stroll” Emmett announced, bored.  
The four brothers rushed outside, impatient to greet their mother and to know the reason for that unexpected visit.

 

Niky stood in front of Miss Betty's door, nervous, waiting for her to come and open the door.  
Suddenly, the door opened, and the young woman appeared.  
“Good morning, ma'am...” Miss Betty said, looking at the guest, surprised “What brings you here?”  
“Good morning, my dear,” Niky answered, trying to imitate her mother's voice “I received your letter”  
The young woman looked at her “My letter? But I only sent her this morning... I didn't think it would have arrived so fast...”  
“You know,” the girl improvised “Mail-men are quick, these days, and I got on my way as soon as I received your letter”  
Miss Betty looked at her with wide eyes “You did?”  
Niky nodded “Of course! A good mother does anything for her children!” she said, with a nervous giggle.  
The young, red-haired woman let her in “your voice sounds a bit... strange...” she added, while they were sitting down.  
The girl started “Well, you see, it's just... sore throat...” she quickly answered.  
“And... you look taller, too...”  
“That's because of my stretching exercises!” Niky stammered “You know, you keep stretching and your muscles... stretch”  
“I see...” the other one answered with a smile, and served the tea. “I asked you to come because I'm concerned about Niky's grades, Mrs Dalton...” she informed her.  
The girl nodded “I'm aware of it” she answered, pretending to be mad “I shall have a talk with my daughter, don't you worry...”  
Miss Betty placed the cup back on the table, and stared at her interlocutor “I think this meeting will be more useful, if Niky could be present too” she said “After all, we're this concerns her future”  
Oh dear, what am I doing now?!, the girl thought, alarmed. She addressed a nervous smile to Miss Betty “uh, my daughter is... helping her brothers, I'm afraid she can't join us...”  
The teacher shook her head “At this moment, all the convicts are in the yard, I'm sure Niky will find some time for us”  
Niky tried to smile “Uh, sure... I'll go get her”  
“Oh, don't worry, ma'am, I'll ask Pit and Emmett to lead her here” Miss Betty said. She was about to stand up, when the girl reached the door in a leap.  
“There is no need to bother those dear youngsters for a minor thing like this” she said “I'll go get her” And rushed outside.  
Miss Betty looked her in disbelief, as she was getting away in such rush. “She sure is fast, for a woman of her age...”

 

What am I doing now?!, the girl asked herself, scared. After making sure nobody was watching, she hid behind the laundrette. She laid her back against the wall, and kicked a pebble away “I'm doomed...” she muttered.  
“MOMMY!” someone suddenly shouted, making her jump for the surprise.  
Niky turned around just in time to see Averell running to her, and in a second her brother lifted her up and hugged her tight.  
“Uh... My little baby, what a joy to see you!” she squeaked, trying to reproduce her mother's voice. That wasn't easy, since Averell was almost squeezing her.  
“What brings you here, Ma?” Joe asked, happy, getting closer.  
“We had no idea you were coming” Jack added, slipping his hands in his pants' pockets.  
“It's not visiting day...” William said, crossing his arms against his chest.  
The girl tried to make up a good story “Well, you see... I have been visiting an old friend in Hole Gulch and since is not far from here, I thought I could come and pay a visit to my children...”  
“Hooray!” Averell exclaimed, and started to spin, holding Niky in his arms.  
“No, wait!” she stuttered “You're going to mess up my hair!”  
Averell didn't hear her. He spinned, and spinned and spinned, until the scarf and the bonnet fell on the ground.  
“But... what...?” Averell muttered, surprised, and stopped.  
“Niky!” Joe, Jack and William exclaimed.  
Averell stared at her, blinking, and held her high to see her better.  
The girl chuckled nervously, and shyly waved with her hand “Um... Hi, big brothers...”  
Averell let her go, and she fell on her bottom. “Ouch!”  
“You... You... You...” Joe bubbled, staring at her in disbelief.  
William shook his head “I told you this was fishy...”  
Joe grabbed her from her ear “What is the meaning of this?”  
“Ouch, Joe, it hurts!” she complained “I'll explain everything, just let me go!”  
Joe released her. He was about to say something, but he was interrupted by a voice: Miss Betty was calling out Niky and Ma, as she was looking for them in the yard.  
The girl started to tremble.  
Jack crossed his arms “Come on, talk. What's going on?”  
“I-I'm in big trouble!” she whined.  
Joe shook his head “You don't say?”  
“What have you done this time?” Averell asked, getting closer.  
Niky took a deep breath, and spilled the beans “Miss Betty wanted to ask Ma to have a meeting with her to discuss about my school grades, so she sent her a letter. But I couldn't let Ma get it, so I stole it...” She took the envelope from her pocket, and showed her brothers “I knew that Miss Betty would have boon suspicious if Ma hadn't show up, so I dressed like her and went to the meeting...” she added, blushing “It was going on well, but then Miss Betty wanted me to participate to the meeting to, and I said I would have got me, but I can't be two people at the same time, and now I don't know what to do!” And she bursted out crying.  
Averell scratched his head, confused “I don't get it...”  
Joe shook his head “You should have come to us in the first place!” he scolded her.  
“I know, I'm sorry...” she apologised, looking at her brothers “Please, don't tell Ma...”  
“Thai is exactly what you'd deserve!” Joe answered, in a harsh tone “How could you even think of making up something like this?”  
Niky bowed her head “I was scared...”  
Jack knelled next to her “Of course you were” he said “But what is happening to youis the consequence of your behaviour!”  
“If you had gotten down in school, this wouldn't have happened!” William underlined, reproachfully.  
“I-I know...” the girl whispered, looking down. “I-I don't really know how to solve this...” she added, with a sob. She was desperate.  
Joe shook his head again. “Maybe, we could help you...” he said “But, of course, for a price...”  
Niky's expression brightened up, an she rose her head “Yes, anything!”  
“Anything?” Joe asked, with a tricky smile, smoothing his moustache.  
“Anything” she assured, joining her hands.  
“You'll do our shifts in the kitchen for a month” Jack declared “And that goes for the cleaning, as well”  
“And you'll really start to get down on your school stuff...” William added, staring surly at her.  
“Yes, yes, I promise!” she answer, agitated. She would have done anything to sole that mess.  
“Then we have a deal” Joe said, and offered his hand to his sister, helping her up.  
She wiped away her tears with her dress' sleeve, and smiled “Thank you, guys... I really don't know what would I do without you...”  
Joe shook his head “Come on, let's get ourselves a move, Miss Betty's waiting for us!” He ran to his cell, dragging his sister after him.  
Once in the cell, they turned their back to each other. Niky changed back in her everyday clothes, and gave the dress, the bonnet and the apron to Joe who, in a few seconds, transformed into a perfect Ma Dalton.  
“Not bad” the girl joked “You should consider a permanent change, you know?”  
“Another joke like that and it's your ears the one that'll get a permanent change!” he muttered, and they rushed back in the yard.

 

Miss Betty shot a look at the clock, and tapped her foot on the ground, impatient. Where are they?, she asked herself.  
“Here we are!” twittered a voice from behind her.  
Joe and Niky were standing behind her, smiling.  
“I'm sorry we made you wait,” Niky apologised “but I was really busy...”  
Miss Betty nodded her head, understanding. She was about to invite them in the house, when she noticed the girl's hair was all covered with white powder. “But... what happened to your hair?” she asked, surprised.  
“An accident in the kitchen” the girl quickly answered “I was covered in flour. I wore clean clothes, but it will take a shower to clean up the hair...”  
Joe shot her a conspiratorial look: she could be very sly, when she really tried.  
The three sat back on the couches, and the meeting went on fast. Joe listened to Miss Betty and scolded his sister, partly pretending, partly meaning it, while Niky listened to him, her heads bowed.  
“Very well, I think this is it” Miss Betty finally said, standing up.  
Joe and Niky did the same, and reached the door.  
“I hope this experience has thought you something, Niky,” she young woman said “and that you'll finally start to study harder. You could be one of my best students, if you only tried!”  
Niky looked down “I'll try my best, Miss Betty...”  
She smiled “Very well, I'm sure you'll immediately see the results!” she assured.  
The two siblings said goodbye and left. Niky, who had hold her breath for the entire meeting, let out a sigh. “We made it...” she said, relieved “Thank you, Joe... I would have never made it without you!” She stooped down, and hugged her brother, grateful “You're the best!”  
Joe snorted “Yeah, yeah, give it a rest, kid” he muttered “I'm still mad at you”  
“Um, yeah, sure...” the girl said. She blushed, and stood up straight “Sorry, Joe...”  
He looked sternly at her, then he sighed “Come on, kid...” He put an arm around her waist, and led her back in the cell.

 

That evening, Joe, William, Jack and Averell were laying on their cots, in a surprisingly good mood. You could not say the same for Niky, who was running back-and-forth to go along with their whims.  
“Niky, I'm hungry, could you bring me a sandwich?” Averell asked.  
“Sure, I'm on my way!” she answered, and ran to the kitchen. When she got back with the sandwich, Jack snorted.  
“Hey, you haven't forget to bring me the newspaper, have you?” he said, rolling his eyes, bored.  
“No, here it is...” she muttered, taking it out from under her arm and handling it to him.  
“So, when am I going to get my massage?” Joe asked, with a smug smile.  
Niky sat behind him, and started to massage his back. “Am I doing it well?”  
“A little more to the left...” he answered “Lower... No, a little more to the right... A little higher... Ah, that's the spot”  
“Niky?” William called her “I'm cold, will you handle me a blanket?”  
“Sure...” she sighed, tired, and stood up. She fixed his brother's covers, and was about to get back to Joe, when...  
“Sis, can you get me some mustard?” Averell asked.  
“Will you turn the page for me?” Jack asked too.  
“Can you get me one more pillow?” William added.  
“So? What about my massage?” Joe asked, annoyed.  
Niky fell on her knees, and tore heir hair out. “Enough, I can't take this anymore!”  
William sniggered “Are you already tired, sis?”  
“Already tired?” she repeated, embittered “Already tired? You've been making me rush back and forth the whole evening!”  
Joe sat up straight and looked at her “Have you learnt your lesson?”  
“Yeah...” she sighed “Never try to trick a Dalton...”  
“Exactly” Joe answered, sniggering, smoothing his moustache.  
The girl sighed again “Can I go to sleep now?”  
Her brothers pretended to think about it.  
“Oh, come on!” she exclaimed.  
The four men bursted out laughing.  
“Come on, go to sleep, kid...” Jack said with a smile.  
Niky smiled too and quickly climbed on her cot and slipped under the blankets. “Good night, guys...” she said, happy “Thank you for... helping me, today...”  
William smiled “We are a family, and nobody is left alone!”  
Averell nodded “The Daltons always stick together!”  
Joe and Jack agreed.  
Soon, the cell was silent. Niky peered out from her cot and looked at her brothers, asleep.  
“Good night, big brothers...” she whispered in a sweet tone “I love you...”


End file.
